TWO cricket clubs have filled their trophy cabinets after successful 2022 seasons.
Winsford Cricket Club's achievements came at senior level, while Middlewich Cricket Club are celebrating unprecedented accomplishments in the junior ranks.
For Winsford's players and officials, it was a busy night at the annual Cheshire Cricket League presentation awards event staged at Barnton Cricket Club.
Chairman Andy Cooper collected the club of the season award, while first XI captain Ant Ollier picked up the Division Three winners' trophy and second XI skipper Mark Dean received the Division South/ West runners-up trophy.
Paul Atherton was handed the award for the highest number of wickets taken for Division South/West, having rolled over 49 batsmen during the campaign.
Middlewich Cricket Club juniors, meanwhile, can now reflect on their most successful season in recent history.
The under 13s team became the South Cheshire League and Cup winners for the first time in 2021.
This season Middlewich's juniors went even further in that both the under nines and under 15s teams topped the league tables in South Cheshire – and were both cup runners-up in their respective competitions.
The under 11s and under 13s sides also had positive and enjoyable cup runs, while the under 14s came runners-up in the Cheshire Cup competition.
Individually in 2022, Middlewich were delighted to have had boys and girls representing the district and county, with more players recently being presented with the opportunity to attend the ‘invite-only’ advanced stages of the junior county pathway.
Richard Clorley, Middlewich's junior co-ordinator, said: "This continued success has been years of hard work by all involved behind the scenes at the club, hours of time dedicated by volunteer coaches, officials and parents which has developed Middlewich into a club which now offers cricketing opportunities for children from as young as four through to 19, and then into the senior ranks with two Saturday senior teams.
"The strength of the junior players at Middlewich has fed successfully into the senior teams, with the second team gaining promotion this year, and the first team narrowly missing out on the final weekend of the season. The future looks very strong."
All at the club saw it as an ultimate reward for the efforts and successes when their players were honoured with the opportunity given by the ECB and Lancashire Cricket Club to provide the Guard Of Honour to the England men's team for the second Test versus South Africa in the summer.
It was on the back of the under 13s team's 2021 success that Middlewich gained one of its first junior team sponsors – Ansa Environmental Services. And thanks also to new kit supplier Fused Sports Cheshire, all juniors at the club wore new coloured kits for training and cup matches in 2022.
The club welcomes new players of any age and ability. The juniors' indoor/winter training programme will commence early in 2023.
Middlewich Cricket Club would be keen to hear from any local businesses that are also interested in getting involved at junior or senior level.
Club contacts are listed at middlewichcricketclub.co.uk/contact
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